OAKVILLE, Ont. – ZTE and Golf Canada announced today a one-year partnership that will see ZTE become the Official Smartphone of the RBC Canadian Open. This year’s RBC Canadian Open is set to take place at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ontario, from July 18-24, 2016.

As the Official Smartphone of the RBC Canadian Open, ZTE will have exclusive naming rights to the Spectator Village, which will be known as the ZTE Spectator Village. ZTE is also the official sponsor of the ZTE Tweet Caddies, a group that will be keeping fans updated on the tournament, games and giveaways through social media channels.

“We’re thrilled to sponsor the RBC Canadian Open and showcase our devices at this world-class event. This partnership marks the second PGA TOUR event we’ve sponsored and a major step forward in our North American sports marketing strategy,” said Lixin Cheng, chairman and CEO of ZTE North America. “ZTE is committed to ensuring consumers get cutting edge technology at an affordable price and we’re looking forward to letting RBC Canadian Open spectators get up close and personal with our newest flagship device, the Axon 7.”

ZTE will offer charging stations for patrons, as well as showcase the popular Axon smartphone series, Grand X View tablet and SPro 2 Smart Projector. There will also be exciting games and giveaways throughout the Championship, with prizes including free rounds of golf, stays at a resort, swag bags and chances to win the Axon 7 smartphone all located in the ZTE Spectator Village.

“We are pleased to welcome ZTE as a partner of our National Championship,” said Golf Canada Chief Commercial Officer Gavin Roth. “Innovative technology is having a positive impact on fan engagement at major sporting events and we know ZTE will deliver an exciting spectator experience at this year’s RBC Canadian Open.”

HAMILTON – The third and final RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifying event saw a field of 144 players combat heat and humidity at King’s Forest Golf Course in hopes of gaining entry into Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship. Branson Ferrier finished 4-under 68 to claim medallist honours and earn an exemption into the 107^th playing of the RBC Canadian Open to be contested at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont., from July 18-24.

Ferrier, who began the day on the 10^th hole, opened with a 1-under 35 across the back nine. The Barrie, Ont., product finished his round with four birdies across his final six holes to secure the victory amidst rising temperatures and gathering winds.

“It was quite difficult out there,” said the 22-year-old. “I was off at 8:30 a.m., so I definitely give a lot of credit to being on the right end of the draw with the weather we had this afternoon. Even this morning towards the end of my round, the winds were picking up and it was very hot and sticky. There were a lot of crosswinds, so it was very difficult to judge.

“I had it going right out of the gate. I was making birdies and I knew that they were out there, so I just had to clean up a few things around the greens. I knew that there were two par-5s coming in my last six; my goal was just to get those two and play steady coming in.”

The former Alabama State University Hornet had trouble finding the right words when looking ahead to playing at the 2016 RBC Canadian Open. “I’ve only been playing professional golf for a few weeks. This is my fourth event as a professional, so this comes as a bit of a shock to me. I had been playing well at school and my game just kind of carried over. I’ve been to the Open at Glen Abbey a few times, and I’m beyond excited to be on the other side of the ropes this time.”

Matthew Scobie of Ajax, Ont., was the only other player to card a round under-par. The 21-year-old collected four birdies en route to a 1-under 71 showing. Peter Campbell of Windermere, Fla., Donnie Trosper from Canton, Mich., as well as, Ontarians Brian Hadley (Sarnia) and Will Mitchell (Bowmanville) finished with shares of third-place at even-par.

A total of 25 competitors, excluding the low medallist, shot 4-over 76 or better to advance to the Final Qualifier in which a minimum of four players will gain entry into the 2016 RBC Canadian Open.

The two-stage qualifying procedure for Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship is comprised of a trio of regional qualifying events held in British Columbia, Quebec and Ontario, followed by the final qualifying competition on July 18.

The previous two qualifying events at Victoria’s Bear Mountain Resort and Club de golf La Vallée du Richelieu in Sainte-Julie, Que., awarded 14 players with spots into the Final Qualifier.

Additional information and full results from the RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifier in Ontario can be found here.

Team RBC players, including world no. 1 Jason Day, Matt Kuchar, Graeme McDowell, Ernie Els, Brandt Snedeker, Ryan Palmer and Jim Furyk, as well as Canadians David Hearn, Graham DeLaet, Adam Hadwin, Nick Taylor and Mike Weir are among the players to confirm their appearance at the 2016 RBC Canadian Open taking place July 18-24 at Glen Abbey Golf Club.

Other notables include world no. 6 Dustin Johnson, rising star Bryson DeChambeau and world no. 1 amateur John Rahm.

Click here for the full list of players confirmed for the 2016 RBC Canadian Open.

OAKVILLE, Ont. – Golf Canada and RBC are pleased to announce that Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont., has been selected to host the 2017 edition of the RBC Canadian Open.

The Jack Nicklaus-designed layout in Oakville, Ont., will host Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship for a record 29^th time. The 2017 event will mark a consecutive run of three years at the venerable Glen Abbey Golf Club which began in 2015 when Jason Day was crowned the RBC Canadian Open champion. The world no. 1 ranked Australian narrowly edged out Bubba Watson along with 54-hole leader David Hearn of Brantford, Ont. who finished alone in third.

The 2016 RBC Canadian Open will run July 18-24 while the 2017 edition will welcome the stars of the PGA Tour next year from July 24-30.

“Together with our partners at RBC, we are proud to announce the return of the RBC Canadian Open to Glen Abbey in 2017,” said Golf Canada CEO Scott Simmons. “Golf fans from Oakville, Halton Region and the Greater Toronto Area have traditionally shown tremendous support for the event. Glen Abbey is one of the world’s premiere stadium courses for fans and spectators and this three-year consecutive run will allow us to build momentum and community excitement both for this year and leading into next year’s 108^th playing of the Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship.”

Designed by golf legend Jack Nicklaus, a seven-time runner-up at the event, Glen Abbey will celebrate its 40^th anniversary in 2016.

“RBC is proud to be the title sponsor of this important event for the 9th year,” said Mary DePaoli, chief brand and communications officer, RBC. “Glen Abbey is a world class venue to showcase our National Open Championship, and to have the tournament return again next year creates enthusiasm and anticipation with golf fans and the local community.”

The return to Glen Abbey through 2017 marks the first time since 1998, 1999 and 2000 that the renowned club has hosted three consecutive RBC Canadian Opens. The golf club also hosted back-to-back championships in 2008 and 2009.

The 2016 RBC Canadian Open will once again raise funds in support of the competition’s national charity partner – Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada – along with the Golf Canada Foundation in support of junior golf initiatives.

Golf Canada owned and operated Glen Abbey Golf Club from 1982 until the fall of 1998 when the property was sold to ClubLink. Considered by many to be the home of Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship, ‘The Abbey’ hosted 22 Canadian Opens between 1977 and 2000. The tournament returned in 2004, 2008, 2009, 2013 and 2015 in addition to this year’s event in July. Golf Canada’s head office and the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum are located on the grounds of Glen Abbey Golf Club.

Information regarding tickets, free 17-and-under junior passes, volunteer opportunities and corporate hospitality for the 2016 RBC Canadian Open can be found at www.rbccanadianopen.com.

SAINTE-JULIE, Que. – A field of 29 fought against 60km/h winds at Club de Golf La Vallée du Richelieu, with Gianfranco Guida, Jean-Philip Cornellier, Tim Alarie, and Marc-Étienne Bussières earning exemptions into the 2016 RBC Canadian Open Final Qualifier on July 18.

Guida of Maple, Ont., stayed bogey-free through 15 holes with a birdie on 13 and an eagle on 14 to claim a share of the top spot.

“It was playing really tough because of the wind, but the greens were very pure,” he said. “Playing golf in Australia really taught me how to play into the wind. You just have to hit a lot of knockdowns and you have to know what clubs to hit.”

The 27-year-old is hoping that the final qualifier will lead to a spot in the RBC Canadian Open field. “My career is at the tipping point of whether I’m going to continue doing it. I’m glad in the sense that hopefully if I get through it will be big validation, and I can continue playing and find it easier to find funding.”

Co-leader Jean-Philip Cornellier of St-Césaire, Que., tallied four birdies on the day, two of which came back-to-back on holes 14 and 15. Tim Alarie of St-Jérôme, Que., and Sherbrooke, Que., native Marc-Étienne Bussières also finished with matching 72s.

At T5, former Team Canada Development Squad member Étienne Papineau (St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que.), Chad Merzbacher (Eden Prairie, Minn.), and Pierre-Alexandre Bédard (Chibougamau, Que.) will join Guida, Cornellier, Alarie, and Bussières at the Final Qualifier at Heron Point Golf Links in Ancaster, Ont., on July 18.

In total, there are three regional qualifying events, each consisting of 18 holes of stroke play. Provided that there are 100 or more players in the field, the low qualifier receives an exemption directly into the 2016 RBC Canadian Open. Otherwise, the top 15 per cent of finishers at each qualifier become eligible to compete at the final qualifying event.

A minimum of four players from the 18-hole stroke play final qualifier will gain entry into the RBC Canadian Open field.

There is one RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifier left to be played:

• June 20 – King’s Forest Golf Club, Hamilton, Ont.

Additional information regarding the RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifier in Quebec can be found here.

Growing up in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., Brent McLaughlin never imagined he’d be the maestro behind Canada’s national championships. “It still doesn’t really compute in my brain that I’m doing it,” he admits. That’s because 20 years ago he walked onto the grounds of Glen Abbey and begged anybody he could find for a job. Ascending up through the maintenance staff, into the pro shop, and then the Golf Canada (nee RCGA) offices after a brief stop at the Golf Association of Ontario, the tournament director for the men’s and women’s national opens has made the most of his opportunity.

Golf Canada Magazine: What is the daily routine of a tournament director?

Brent McLaughlin: It’s so many things and yet, I don’t really do anything. All I do is answer questions. The real doers are the sales and marketing folks in our office and our operations team. I kind of sit there and I steer the ship. I try to make sure the people that are really doing the work have strong direction, can share ideas and feel supported when they make decisions. It is just such a great job because on top of it all, when you’re planning for a great party, I still get to have the conversations with player agents and players to entice them and their families. What do these players need when they get here? What type of car do they need? Are they bringing their family with them? What do their kids want to do? It’s just such a wide variety. To say there’s one thing I focus on each day is crazy and that’s what makes this job so great. There’s so many things every day that come up.

How does that change during tournament week?

Tournament week is actually the best week because hopefully you’ve planned everything correctly — if you screwed something up, it’s too late to fix it. So our stressful time, believe it or not, is the three months leading up to July. Once we’re into July we’re hopefully in a state where you’re just wishing for good weather and a great finish. Tournament week we’re there at 4:30 in the morning. We don’t usually leave the property until 11 o’clock at night. And our 1,500 volunteers, they’re doing the same hours and it’s amazing. You go into the volunteer centre at 5:30 in the morning and it’s jam-packed.

What’s your biggest challenge?

Space. To find space, not only on-site but off-site, to run these events is a huge challenge. When I look at parking, for example, how do we park so many cars? For the men, we have to park 10,000 vehicles in a town (Oakville, Ont., where Glen Abbey is located) that’s continually growing. I think on-site, golf continues to grow. It’s such a huge sport and our TV compound has changed drastically over the last couple years. The square-footage for our TV compound has basically quadrupled in size. Fitting all those little jigsaw pieces into the property at Glen Abbey or any golf course is a huge challenge. On top of that, what everybody talks about: the date. Especially this year, you’re sandwiched between the British Open and the PGA Championship so two majors. That’s a huge challenge, the field. But I always keep saying whenever I talk to the media or anybody, this event can’t be solely about the field and it can’t be about the date. This is a party. It was a party last year. I go to the Players Championship every year, as a rules official for 10 years and now as a tournament director to talk to players. I go to 16-17-18 and their hospitality areas. Rest assured, nobody is watching golf. It’s just like the Waste Management (Open in Phoenix) — no one is watching golf. They’re there because it’s the place to be. It’s a party, they’re socializing, they’re networking, they’re doing a million different things but they don’t know who’s on the tee necessarily or who’s hitting shots. That’s my vision for our Open.

Is there anything you really want to do but haven’t figured out how to pull off?

I would love to take the 14th hole down in the valley and on the far left side, where there’s a gravel access road, I’d love to pump in a bunch of sand and make that a beach. Have people go down and change into their bathing suits, grab a beach towel and lie in the sun. You’ve got your feet in the water, catching some rays watching the golfers play through. I’m also trying to get a five-kilometre race off the ground. The golf course is closed the week before. I’d love to do a road race through the golf course, a 5k where you come in and get a ticket to the Open the following week but now you get to run the golf course. There are so many runners in the community — in Oakville and across the Halton region — you call it the Par 5k and away you go. For a lot of people that may not be golfers and may not have seen what goes on in there, now you run the course and you’re connected to it and you realize this is a big thing, there is a lot of infrastructure.

What’s been your biggest surprise since taking on the job?

The spring of last year I visited four or five different events and started talking to players (about why they did or didn’t play the RBC Canadian Open) and the one thing that was the common theme I heard from every player was that when you come to Canada you never know you’re in Canada. They said it looks like every other PGA Tour event. When I came back I said we’re going to bring the Canadiana back to the Canadian Open. So when you stood on No. 18 tee and looked down, the only thing you could see was the Canadian flag. I think we need more than that.

How about the craziest problem you’ve had to navigate?

On Sunday last year, when David Hearn’s group came out of the valley off 15, I remember getting a call from Barry Hughes, who’s a sergeant with Halton Police and oversees our policing. He called me and said, ‘We got a lot of people coming up from the valley. There’s nowhere for them to go.’ There had to be nearly 5,000 people who couldn’t go down 16, they couldn’t go down 17, they couldn’t go down 18. So we brought everybody around the back of 17 and 18 tee and allowed them to walk the driving range for the first time ever just to get the flow going. So we had to re-rope basically the entire three holes on the fly. As everybody was watching play, we’re freaking out about re-roping people to get them out and back to the spectator village. So that was chaotic and quite a scene.

Biggest difference setting up the Men’s Open vs. Women’s Open?

There’s a few more moving parts on the Men’s Open. One notable difference is from a courtesy-car standpoint. Traditionally on the LPGA Tour we’ll dole out about 20 courtesy cars to the top players but for the RBC Canadian Open, through our relationship with BMW, every player gets a car. So that’s 156 moving parts right there off the top. From an infrastructure standpoint, the Men’s Open is just a bigger animal. It has more spectators on site, more corporate hospitality options so the footprint on site is larger, as far as your build goes. With the CP Women’s Open, we’re building around 16, 17 and 18 for our hospitality.

Fact or fiction: The LPGA Tour players are easier to deal with than the PGA Tour players.

That’s probably 90 per cent fact. The women are very engaging, they understand it’s a big deal. They all have their moments as professional athletes so I wouldn’t say easier but maybe a little more available.

What’s the best compliment you’ve received from a player regarding the CP Women’s Open?

I think every player that I’ve spoken to on the women’s side believes it’s a major. They treat it like a major even though it’s not a major in name. It’s the largest purse they play for outside of the majors so I think that has a lot to do with it. Last year, including the majors, we were the strongest event on tour. We had 96 of the top 100 players. We’re the event after the Olympics this year and every single person I talked to said, ‘We will not miss the Women’s Open. We don’t care when the Olympics is.’ So that’s a telling statement that they’ll turn out in Calgary and how important the event is.

What are your thoughts on the possible development of Glen Abbey?

From a personal standpoint, it’s a huge part of my life. I would be devastated. Devastated not to have that as a golf course and not to have it as a place to drive into every day. It’s much deeper than just the Open. It goes back to my days in the golf shop and riding the shuttle and picking the range. It’s also our office plus the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame & Museum. There’s a lot of things that go on outside of the RBC Canadian Open but from a purely personal standpoint, I want it to stay a golf course.

Some personal stuff: What inspired you to buy your ice fishing trailer?

I love my outdoors. I love my alone time. I love hunting. Fishing is one of my huge hobbies too but I hate being cold. So I started thinking what I could do to make this a more comfortable experience. I went on Kijiji and looked for a camper. I found an old, beat up 15-foot Prowler camper. I tore it apart inside, put a wood stove in it and it’s got room for five or six people pretty comfortably. It’s got three fishing holes and once you get the wood stove going, it is incredible how hot it is. You can fish in your underwear if you want.

What’s the biggest fish you’ve caught?

Biggest fish I’ve caught would be a halibut in B.C. It was a small halibut for its size but big for me, about 80 pounds. But the most prized fish I’ve caught is one just outside Sault Ste. Marie (Ontario) in Echo Bay. I caught an 11-pound walleye and as I reeled it in, I said to myself this is going to cost me money now. It goes from being a prized fish to being an expensive fish real quick. To get the taxidermy and put it on the wall was something else but it was a beautiful fish.

You drove your motorcycle cross-country last summer. What kind of bike is it and does it have a name?

(Laughs) It does not have a name although after we bonded coming back from Seattle after the CP Women’s Open at The Vancouver Golf Club it should have a name. I was telling my wife that I wanted to upgrade the bike and then I drove it back from out west and as soon as I got home I said I’ll never get rid of that bike. It’s a 2004 Dyna Low Rider. The bike’s originally from Texas and it’s in miles, which screws me up all the time.

How much golf do you play?

Last year I had the good fortune of playing in the RBC Heritage pro-am with Ian Poulter. That was my last round of golf. Never touched a club after April. Now, 80 per cent of that is my own fault because I have other interests outside of the game. But I need to get back in that mindset of playing more.

What would you be doing if you weren’t in golf?

Growing up I always wanted to be a fireman. I went to school at Seneca College for Fire Science and I think if I wasn’t a fireman, I really see myself in some other sport. Hockey’s my passion, I’m a huge Philadelphia Flyers fan. My bar downstairs is painted orange and black. It’s got all kinds of Flyers memorabilia. My dog’s named Philly. The dog before that was named Tocchet, after my favourite player Rick Tocchet. Anybody that knows me knows that I’m obsessed so it’d definitely be something in hockey.

The Party Planner This article was originally published in the April 2016 edition of Golf Canada Magazine. To view the full magazine, click the image to the left.

Golf Canada in conjunction with Landmark Sport Group, Inc., announced today the launch of the inaugural RBC Canadian Open 5K.

The five kilometre run or walk along the grounds of 2016 RBC Canadian Open host venue Glen Abbey Golf Club will take place on Saturday, July 16, 2016 beginning at 9:00 am. Open to the general public including golf fans, runners, walkers and recreational enthusiasts of all ages, the RBC Canadian Open 5K will be celebrated as part of the 107^th playing of Canada’s National Men’s Open Golf Championship.

“We want to celebrate the RBC Canadian Open as a party and launching the RBC Canadian Open 5K has the opportunity to expose the event and Glen Abbey to a potential new audience of running and fitness enthusiasts,” said RBC Canadian Open Tournament Director Brent McLaughlin. “Health and wellness along with physical fitness align with golf’s impact on a healthy active lifestyle and organizing a run through the golf course brings those elements together. Landmark Sport Group brings tremendous race expertise and we are excited to partner in delivering a truly unique golf and fitness experience leading into the 2016 RBC Canadian Open.”

The RBC Canadian Open 5K route will start near the first tee of the championship course, ultimately finishing alongside the iconic and picturesque 18^th green at Glen Abbey Golf Club. The event is tailored to both the traditional and non-traditional running audience and will provide all participants with the full runner’s experience of a timed event, participant bibs, shirts and medals for all. Although the event will have a predominant running theme to it, it is also designed to entice and encourage golf fans to participate in an experience to run or walk on a PGA Tour ready championship golf course just days prior to challenging the stars of the PGA Tour.

“As an avid golfer and runner, I was thinking of a way to combine both of these sports into one completely different and unique event. That is where this idea was born,” says Elliott Kerr, President of Landmark Sport Group, Inc. “This exclusive experience will be a one-of-a-kind opportunity for both golf and running enthusiasts to have access like never before to a RBC Canadian Open course. We could not be more excited to bring this event to both the golf and running communities.”

In addition to the already unique and exclusive nature of RBC Canadian Open 5K, participants will also be invited to watch live the third-round coverage of The British Open Championship both on the big screens located along the race-route and within the Molson Canadian 67 Beer Gardens, where all participants can relax and cool down post-race.

Every registered participant in the RBC Canadian Open 5K will also receive a free ‘anyday’ ticket to the 2016 RBC Canadian Open. The RBC Canadian Open 5K will provide runners, golfers, and sport fans an opportunity they will never forget!

Early bird participant registration begins at $60. Enthusiasts interested in registering or finding more information about the RBC Canadian Open 5K including parking or volunteer opportunities can visit www.golfrun.ca.

With another PGA season in the books, perhaps one of the most intriguing storylines which emerged this year is the breakthrough success of Aussie golfer Jason Day.

During the first half, all the buzz was about American Jordan Spieth; but as the season wrapped up, the golfing world took notice of Day’s brilliance.

After capturing the Farmer’s Insurance Open title in early February, the 27-year-old from Queensland, Australia had his challenges returning to the winner’s circle in the months that followed.

While Day was experiencing a dry spell, Spieth claimed the Valspar Championship in mid-March, the Masters Championship in April, the U.S. Open in June, and the John Deere Classic in early July.

Despite his best efforts to join the former University of Texas Longhorn in the winner’s circle, Day came up empty – until a trip to Oakville for the RBC Canadian Open.

Entering the final round at Glen Abbey, Day found himself in a tie with two-time Masters champion, Bubba Watson, for second place – both stood two shots behind home grown hero, David Hearn, of Brantford, Ontario.

By the time he reached the 18th hole, Day had worked his way into a three-way tie with Hearn and Watson. And it was on the 18th that the Aussie completed his comeback by draining a tough birdie putt to put himself one shot up, which would hold as the margin of victory.

The 6-foot, 195 pound golfer said afterwards that the victory was even sweeter given his close call at St. Andrews – site of the British Open – in which he narrowly missed out on being part of a four-way playoff for the championship.

“For it to be the third oldest tournament, and to come off what happened last week and be able to get the putt to the hole this time and come out as a winner, it just feels fantastic,” he said. “That’s what we try to play so hard for. I’m really glad to be the Canadian Open champion.”

Day also pointed out that being able to pull through in the clutch had huge significance for the mental side of his game.

“Confidence-wise, my confidence is over the moon right now,” he added after his big victory on Canadian soil.

Judging by Day’s results for the remainder of the season, his win at the RBC Canadian Open was the spark that he needed to break open the flood gates to success.

Following his triumph, Day would go on to capture the PGA Championship, the Barclays title, and the BMW Championship.  As a result of his victory at the BMW Championship on September 20th, the 27-year-old fulfilled a childhood dream by becoming the world No. 1.

For Day, who was introduced to the game during his early childhood by his father, the road to the top has been anything but easy. After the death of his dad at the age of 12, Day struggled to cope with the loss.

“That’s when I started getting into trouble; started drinking a little bit; started getting into fights,” Day revealed in a recent RBC mini-documentary about his journey.

His mother, Dening Day, refused to see her son waste his talents; and decided to take out a second mortgage on the family house so that he could attend the prestigious Kooralbyn International School to hone his skills on the golf course.

It was at Kooralbyn where Day met golfing coach Colin Swatton, who would take over as the father figure in his life and steer him back on the right path.

“He’s a life changer…..The reason why I’m here is because of that guy,” Day said about Swatton, who was the best man at his wedding and today acts as the 27-year-old golfer’s caddie and coach.

Despite the many impressive accomplishments this season, perhaps the most notable victory for Day and Swatton came at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin. It was at the PGA’s final major of the season where the talented young golfer would display his mental toughness to win his first career major.

While there were many – including his rivals – who expected or hoped Day would underperform or fold given the pressure, the Aussie proved otherwise.

“Typically in a major you’re looking for somebody in Jason’s position to miss a couple of shots and just feel the nerves of his own. And he went about it like a seasoned veteran; it was almost like it was his fifth or sixth major. I wouldn’t say I was surprised, but I was amazed that he kept pulling driver and kept hitting it in the tight zones,” said Spieth in his press conference after his final round at Whistling Straits.

Day finished at 20 under par, three shots clear of Spieth, to claim the PGA Championship; and proved to the entire golfing world that he had the maturity, poise and mental toughness to win the big one.

While Day experienced a slight let down at the year-end TOUR Championship, and in the process relinquished his hold on the world No. 1 ranking back to Spieth, his brilliance over the second half of the season has many excited about a budding rivalry.

With five tournament victories this season to his credit, Day, who finished in a tie for 10th at the year-end event, says he’s happy with his results – but far from content.

The talent Aussie golfer, who grew up idolizing Tiger Woods during the time when the 14-time major champion dominated the PGA TOUR, is very much eager to achieve his own version of greatness.

In fact, Day’s commitment to excellence dates back to his days at Kooralbyn, when he would wake up every morning before the other students in order to get in extra practice on his golf swing.

But perhaps, the 27-year-old, who is now in his prime, described his ambitions for greatness best after his victory at Glen Abbey in July.

“I just want to be the best I can be while I’m on this Earth and while I have the opportunity to play golf,” Day said simply about his dedication to reach his full potential.

With Day eager to regain the distinction as world No. 1 and Spieth eager to continue his winning ways, it appears that the battle lines have been drawn between the PGA’s top two golfers.

Factor in a healthy Rory McIlroy, and a highly motivated Bubba Watson, and the 2016 PGA story line promises to be one of the most exciting in all of sports.

The 2015 RBC Canadian Open did not fall short on making memories—from the fans, to the volunteers and even to the players. One group, in particular, etched a series of memories throughout open week that will be cherished for a lifetime.

While prone to slip under the radar amongst the drama of a national open, the festivities for a select group of junior golfers had no such lack of excitement.

Among the thousands of juniors admitted to the RBC Canadian Open, there were 22 who qualified atop the CN Future Links Junior Skills Challenge leaderboard who travelled to Oakville, Ontario to compete in the Junior Skills National Event.

For the first time in history, the event was hosted at the site of the RBC Canadian Open (Glen Abbey Golf Club). Needless to say, participants were blown away by the big stage and the feeling of competing on the same grounds as some of the PGA TOUR’s biggest names.

“Although we were thrilled that Eric won his competition, after the way you treated us it would not have mattered how he finished,” wrote Dwight and Daniela Collier, parents of boys 8–11 winner, Eric. “The memories he (Eric) and all of our family have from all of the events you put on will quite literally last a life time—we hope that Eric qualifies again next year because it would be amazing to do it again.”

Two-time winner of the boys 15-18 group, Tyler Leclair of North Vancouver, B.C., shared his excitement alongside father (and caddy) Tim.

Click here to read up on the event and this year’s winners.

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To mark the significance of the event being a part of the RBC Canadian Open, junior participants were invited to stay the week at Glen Abbey, taking part in the following activities:

Junior Open—9 holes at Glen Abbey Golf Course in peak condition

The Sunday prior to tournament week, the CN Future Links Junior Skills Challenge participants from the National Event a day earlier were back on site to tee-it-up in an exciting match-play format on the back-9 of Glen Abbey’s pristine conditions pre-tournament week.

Of course, a match at the site of the RBC Canadian Open wouldn’t be complete without caddies. That’s where mom and dad come in.

Canada Day Pro-Am chip-off

Back at it. The group of juniors are still full-steam ahead at the Open, posting up on the par-4 15^th hole to challenge pros and amateurs to a chip-off during the Canada Day pro-am.

In addition to collecting as many signatures as possible, juniors had the opportunity to showcase their short game skills against Canadian stars like Nick Taylor in front of a mini gallery on hand.

Wendel Clark, former NHL star with the Toronto Maple Leafs, also took his chance at the difficult downhill chip out of the rough (sharing a laugh in the process).

Time with Team Canada

Also on Monday, the lucky group had a full hour to learn from Team Canada in a closed session on the back range at Glen Abbey. Men’s Head Coach, Derek Ingram, led the session with support from the six athletes competing at the Open: Adam Svensson, Taylor Pendrith, Corey Conners, Albin Choi, Austin Connelly and Blair Hamilton.

Walk with a Pro

Back by popular demand, the CN Future Links Walk with a Pro event pairs each junior up with a PGA TOUR star to walk the par-3 7^th hole and even help putt-out. A fan-favourite, the Walk with a Pro event is always good for a few laughs.

Flag bearing ceremony on 18^th green

To cap off the week that was, all CN Future Links participants were included in one last activity to help send the 2015 RBC Canadian Open out with a bang. Following the trophy presentation, all junior participants were responsible for unveiling the large Canadian flag on the 18^th green alongside the champions to celebrate the conclusion of the tournament.

At the end of the day, the week was a special one for many Canadian golf fans, including this lucky group of junior golfers—the future of the sport in Canada.

To learn more about Canada’s junior golf program, CN Future Links, visit CNfuturelinks.com.

When one of the most popular and successful golfers in the world holds a strong connection to Canada that’s definitely worth highlighting.

Given the fact that his wife is Canadian, competing north of the 49^th parallel holds a special significance for two-time Masters Champion, Bubba Watson.

Having met during their days as student athletes at the University of Georgia, Watson and his wife, Angie, were married in 2004; and today, are the proud parents of two adopted children – a son named Caleb and a daughter named Dakota.

Last month at Glen Abbey Golf Club, the American golfer was eager to speak about the importance of competing in Canada at the RBC Canadian Open.

Specifically, he talked about the significance of being able to spend time with his wife’s parents who live in Markham, Ont., as well as, her grandparents who flew in from Newfoundland to take in this year’s tournament.

As well, he beamed about how his three-year-old son got to meet his 80-year-old great grandmother.

Given his strong connection to Canada, the 36-year-old from Florida also spoke hypothetically about what it would mean to win the RBC Canadian Open.

“I’ve got two flags at the house, so it’s a big deal. It would be a great honor, but a big deal for the family as well,” said the eight-time PGA TOUR winner.

When the tournament got underway, the 6 foot 3 inch golfer put on an impressive display of power off the tee and soft hands around the greens; and showed the golfing enthusiasts at Glen Abbey why he is currently one of the best in the world.

Watson’s popularity was evident from the size of the gallery following him, as he flirted with victory, before finishing runner up to Australia’s Jason Day.

Brent McLaughlin, the tournament director of the RBC Canadian Open, understands why fans so are drawn to Watson and his game.

“Bubba is obviously one of the biggest names on tour right now. He’s in his prime and people love to watch him.  He’s a great ball striker and works the ball in so many different ways that people are constantly baffled by,” McLaughlin noted.

“He’s almost like an honorary Canadian. It’s like a home tournament for him and Bubba likes coming home; and it’s great for his wife to get some friends and family involved,” added the tournament director.

As one of the popular Canadian stars on the PGA TOUR, David Hearn agrees with McLaughlin about Watson’s entertaining style of golf.

“He plays a game with which nobody else on this tour is familiar with. He hits the ball incredibly long and hits some shots that most players don’t try to attempt,” said Hearn last month after learning he would be paired off against the American in the final round of the RBC Canadian Open.

Even though he was matched up in the final round against the Canadain grown hero from Brantford, Ont., Watson says the crowd support was not one sided at all.

“I think Canada and the crowd were treating me just as fair as David since my wife’s Canadian,” said Watson, who also referred to himself as half Canadian in the media scrum after completing his final round.

Despite coming in second, the golfer that many insiders of the sport have referred to as ultra competitive and hot-headed, seemed at peace with the result after completing the 18^th hole; and genuinely happy to finally spend quality time with his family.

Watson explained his new lease on life best during his pre-tournament press conference when he spoke candidly about how his family – particularly his children – has changed his perspective on what’s most important.

“I don’t know if you ever checked media, but they wrote me as a head case, and I agree with that. I was a hot head. I wanted to play better,” he said.

“But I think (having) kids, it makes you realize what’s more important. My son could care a less what I shoot. He could care a lot less. All he knows is daddy’s done and now we can go play,” he continued.

“So it puts life, not just golf, but it puts life in perspective. What is the most important and then it shows that golf is just a game,” Watson added.

Still, golf is a game that he plays better than almost anyone else on the planet. With two titles and seven top ten finishes so far this season, Watson is currently sitting in second place in the FedEx Cup Standings and third in the official world rankings.

At 36 and very much in his prime, Watson appears poised to take a legitimate run at the distinction of being world No. 1 in 2016.

While many acknowledge that golf is a mental game which is often played between the ears, the fact that Watson now has a happier balance between life on and off the golf course can only benefit him in his quest to be the best in the world.

And as Watson has highlighted, his extended family north of the 49^th parallel play a significant role in creating that happy balance.

Ultimately, this translates to a greater likelihood that the many Bubba Watson fans in the country will see the two-time Masters Champion on Canadian soil vying for the RBC Canadian Open title every year in July.